Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Well, the past week has been a chaotic whirlwind that is also known as my life. I work in retail, so the day job has been CRAZY with all the Black Friday hubbub. And then I got an email that changed my writing world forever.

Sapphire Blue Publishing was closing it's doors.

I was devastated. They had five of my titles and I was hoping to spend the bulk of my career growing with them. Fortunately, the owners are authors themselves, and they understood how we would be feeling. So with no hesitation, they returned the rights to all of us, and even gave us the rights to the cover art!

So while I still have a release with Wild Rose Press, I have decided to re-release my first novel, Second Chances, on my own. Going it alone is kind of scary, but I believe in my book and it feels good to have total control over the process.

So without further ado, say hello (again) to the newest release from Christle Gray Books!

Gallery owner Kristin Shepherd is resigned to living a life on her own in London, England after losing her husband to cancer. That was before she met handsome Scottish actor David McDougal.

David swears the relationship with his fiancé, Sophie Miller, is for public convenience only, but Kristin finds Sophie’s unwillingness to release her hold on David quite a complication to the chemistry that exists between them.

Within David’s dark eyes, will Kristin find the courage to trust enough to love again? And, are there such things as Second Chances?

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving is upon us! The turkey is dressed, the pies are baked, and families are flocking together to spend the day eating and shopping. But through all the full stomachs and "Black Friday" deals, it's good to pause and remember why we have this holiday in the first place.

To give thanks.

Sounds simple, right? But can you remember the last time you stopped and took the time to really count your blessings? Our lives are so busy these days, with day jobs, kids, spouses. We've become masters at multitasking in order to get everything done we need to. Conference calls at home while making dinner. Cramming in writing time while sitting in the doctor's office. Every single second of every day gets counted and used to its fullest extent.

So I know how difficult it can be to take a moment and just feel gratitude for everything you and your family have. Difficult because it forces you to think about what your life would be without these blessings. And that can be overwhelming to think about. But even the little things deserve recognition. The smile of a stranger when you need it. The words of a friend when you're down. The bad - yet funny - joke from a co-worker. These little things deserve gratitude just as much as the big ones, for they make each day different from the rest.

And it's so easy to get caught up in things this time of year, the whirlwind of the holidays. Through the gift giving and the big meals, we tend to forget the little things and breeze through the days until each one blends into the next. And before you know it,another year has passed.

So I ask that you always take a moment to give thanks, not just for the holiday, but every day. For every single day holds a blessing. All you have to do is stop and recognize it.